Tulsa City-County Library - graphic novelshttp://www.tulsalibrary.org/tags/graphic-novels
enA New Year Brings a New Reading Addict! by Sarah Throwerhttp://www.tulsalibrary.org/blog/new-year-brings-new-reading-addict-sarah-thrower
<div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.tulsalibrary.org/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/images/blogs/chulsey/Sarah.jpg?itok=l3hPBTe1" width="160" height="220" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>On December 31st my cubicle neighbor Cindy (*waives to Cindy*) and I were discussing our 2015 reading resolutions. I also read her post about it here on Reading Addict and sure enough, our goals could practically meet and shake hands. It occurred to me, that my own goal to write more and/or talk more about the books I read, could be met pretty easily if I started submitting articles to the Reading Addict blog, so here I am! </p>
<p>I’m relatively new to comics, and I prefer to read graphic novels rather than single issues, mostly because I can get them so easily from the library. I have also recently developed a taste for westerns (particularly weird-westerns). One series I’ve enjoyed from DC’s New 52 run is “<a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?t=keyword&amp;q=all%20star%20western%20gray" title=" All-Star Western">All-Star Western</a>,” by Justin Gray and Jim Palmiotti, featuring the scarred bounty hunter Jonah Hex. For those as unfamiliar with Jonah Hex as I was before starting this series, here’s a little background info:</p>
<p>1) The story takes place in the late 1800s, so you’ve got a western on your hands! I love that Hex spends a lot of time in Gotham, so you get to see ancestors of the Wayne, Arkham, and Cobblepot families just as they’re all starting to grab for power and influence. </p>
<p>2) Hex is very recognizable because he bears a gruesome facial scar, given to him by the Apache Indians who he was sold to by his father when he was a child. </p>
<p>3) Jonah Hex is most definitely an anti-hero. He drinks. He frequents brothels. He shoots first! What saves him from being a straight-up villain is, as a bounty hunter, he’s always going after the evil-doer (though he better get paid for his efforts at the end of the day!). So he does get a few points for ultimately being on the side of the greater good.</p>
<p>My most recent library checkout from this series was, “<a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/3086222063_all_star_western" title=" Man Out of Time">Volume. 5: Man Out of Time</a>.” Jonah Hex finds himself in modern-day Gotham where the authorities promptly fling him into Arkham Asylum. Here, the current Dr. Arkham assesses Hex’s sanity, as well as his claim to being the actual Jonah Hex. I know what you’re thinking: “A time-traveling western?” I know it sounds silly but the time travel thing here works! On his journey to find a way back to his own time, he runs into plenty of contemporary heroes like Bruce Wayne/Batman, Swamp Thing, John Constantine, and Superman (Hex’s old-school reaction to Superman is hilarious and perfect). Honestly, it is such a fun volume! However, Hex does go through a particular “change” that may annoy some readers. On the other hand, I’m interested in seeing how this change affects his future adventures, so the change doesn’t bother me.</p>
<p>In doing a little background reading on “<a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?t=keyword&amp;q=all%20star%20western%20gray" title=" All-Star Western">All-Star Western</a>” for this, I discovered that like many of the New 52 storylines, this series has been cancelled (only 21 of the original 52 are still running). According to Jim Palmiotti’s Facebook page, the series will come to an end after issue #34. Vol. 5 comprises issues #22-29, so it looks like we only have one more graphic novel of “<a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?t=keyword&amp;q=all%20star%20western%20gray" title=" All-Star Western">All-Star Western</a>” left. It’ll be a sad day for me to finish the series, but you shouldn’t let its end stop you from starting it! I personally like a good series that doesn’t go on forever, and maybe this prescribed ending will allow the series to end on a high note. The story as a whole is very entertaining, and while violent, there’s enough humor throughout to keep it from getting too dark. The art is just gritty enough and does perfect justice to the Western genre. “<a href="http://tccl.bibliocommons.com/search?t=keyword&amp;q=all%20star%20western%20gray" title=" All-Star Western">All-Star Western</a>” is a super-enjoyable series, particularly if you want to venture out of your usual reading comfort zone and jump right into comics.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/graphic-novels" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">graphic novels</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/justin-gray" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Justin Gray</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/jim-palmiotti" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Jim Palmiotti</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/reading-addict" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Reading Addict</a></div></div></div>Tue, 06 Jan 2015 15:38:20 +0000Cindy235859 at http://www.tulsalibrary.orghttp://www.tulsalibrary.org/blog/new-year-brings-new-reading-addict-sarah-thrower#commentsMarch Book Club Selection: Lost and Found by Shaun Tanhttp://www.tulsalibrary.org/blog/march-book-club-selection-lost-and-found-shaun-tan
<div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.tulsalibrary.org/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blogfiles/Lost%20and%20Found_0.jpg?itok=43kca_I1" width="166" height="220" alt="Lost and Found book cover" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"> <p>We’re going a little different route with our book this month. Technically classified as a graphic novel, this beautifully illustrated anthology of three tales “The Red Tree,” “The Lost Thing,” and “The Rabbits,” by New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Shaun Tan, is simply mesmerizing. </p>
<p>A girl finds a bright spot in a dark world. A boy leads a strange, lost creature home. And a group of peaceful creatures loses their home to cruel invaders. Three stories, written and illustrated by Shaun Tan, about how we lose and find what matters most to us. ~Goodreads.com</p>
<p>Join us Monday, March 25th, 6:30-7:30 in the Literacy Resource Room @ Central Library</p>
<p>The Literacy Office has already had to reorder more copies of this book, so call us at 918-549-7400 to reserve your copy today!</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/adult-learner-book-club" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">adult learner book club</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/adult-literacy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">adult literacy</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/lesson-ideas" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">lesson ideas</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/graphic-novels" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">graphic novels</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/literacy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Literacy</a></div></div></div>Mon, 11 Mar 2013 19:22:33 +0000Jennifer A1665 at http://www.tulsalibrary.orghttp://www.tulsalibrary.org/blog/march-book-club-selection-lost-and-found-shaun-tan#comments